193 Deputy Joe Behan asked the Minister for Education and Science when he expects to inform primary schools of the results of their appeals of his decision to suppress their special classes for children with mild general learning difficulties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24191/09]

204 Deputy Joe Behan asked the Minister for Education and Science the outcome of his deliberations regarding the appeals of primary schools nationwide of his decision to suppress special classes for children with a mild general learning disability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24248/09]

205 Deputy Joe Behan asked the Minister for Education and Science if he sought the advice of his inspectorate before deciding to suppress special classes for children with a mild general learning difficulty; if so, the advice he received; if he did not do so, the reason for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24249/09]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 193, 204 and 205 together.

I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department issued responses to all schools who appealed the decision to suppress classes for pupils with a Mild General Learning Disability (MGLD) on 11 June.

Correspondence was received from 49 schools in this regard. My Department has considered the correspondence and has determined that:

10 classes will be retained in 11 schools;

Further information has been requested from 3 schools and a decision will issue to the schools as soon as this has been considered;

The original decision to discontinue MGLD classes remains in the case of 35 schools.

It was noted in the material submitted by many of the schools that there are situations where a number of children enrolled in the MGLD classes fall within the low incidence disability category. In these cases, schools have been advised to liaise with their local Special Educational Needs Organiser (SENO) in the context of their eligibility for resource teaching support. In one case discussions are ongoing between a school and SENO concerning the re-designation of a MGLD class.

My Department's decision to suppress a number of MGLD classes was on the basis that the enrolment numbers in these special classes did not have the minimum number of pupils required to retain the special class teacher. This was the sole criteria for the selection of schools and therefore not a matter for the Inspectorate.

I will arrange to have details of the individual schools forwarded to the Deputy.